Meet Jill Carver: A Bureau of Prisons teacher and proud AFGE member

April 16, 2014

A day on the job for teacher Jill Carver means entering a medium-security federal prison in rural West Virginia, where she works one-on-one with more than a hundred inmates – trying to teach them life skills they can use when they are released.

“Our goal is to make sure inmates leave and stay gone. Many of them didn’t go to school. They dealt drugs at age 12. They didn’t have a good home environment. They didn’t have a lot of positive reinforcement in their lives, so we attempt to give them the opportunity to succeed. Everyone needs the opportunity to succeed.”

Jill shares her story in the latest documentary produced by AFGE as part of our “I Am AFGE” campaign, which is designed to increase the public’s awareness and appreciation of the women and men who work for them every day.

Jill credits AFGE for fighting to improve working conditions for correctional workers. She is president of AFGE Local 404, which represents more than 250 employees at Federal Correctional Institution Beckley in Beaver, W. Va.

She believes so much in the Bureau of Prisons mission that she has recruited her two sons and daughter-in-law to work in the prison system as well.

“I want both of my sons to be proud that they stepped into my footsteps and moved forward into the federal prisons. I don’t want them to say, ‘Mom, what did you get us into?’” she says.

Jill’s story is part of AFGE’s year-long campaignto increase the public’s awareness and appreciation of the hard work and valuable services federal employees deliver.

You can become a part of the conversation yourself. Here’s how:

Submit a “selfie” photo using your smartphone to afgecommsquad@gmail.com (or just use hashtag #IAMAFGE) and we’ll share on social media. Please be aware of agency policies regarding taking photos on government property.

Tell us why you chose public service at 844-IAM-AFGE and we will share your story online.

Share our videos and other content on social media using the hashtag #IAMAFGE